I give you my Apple
by OddLoad
Summary: Note: Ichigo and Yuzu are the only children here. Setting: late 18th Century, Western Ichigo has been the breadwinner of the family; he resents Isshin for not being able to do this instead. A tragedy befalls to the family, taking Yuzu's life. The two then try to fix their relationship.


"It's ten past five. I'm leaving!" yelled the orange-haired boy in sweaty and dirt-stained blue shirt and loose worn-out brown slacks to an old man as he sighed deeply. "Man, I hope old man Uruhara pays me tomorrow a lot for carrying all those sand and gravel." muttered the young man to himself. The young man was clearly tired, but did not waste a second to take a break.

The boy hurryingly packed his bags, and proceeded to a nearby shop that sells various fruits fresh from the owner's farm neighboring the town.

"Well, hello there, Ichigo." greeted the old lady shopkeeper Mrs. Bronze with a warm smile. But the young man barely settled down and replied aloofly with a simple _Hey_. Aware of the young man's stress from another day of doing odd jobs for money, she simply carried on to giving the instructions for the job. "Oh Ichigo, thank you for coming. I just need a hand to fix a broken leg of my fruit stall over here."

Ichigo immediately grabbed his hammer and nails from his bag. He looked around the small, crowded store and found near the doorway a wooden splint, which he thought of using to support the stall's leg. He picked it up without hesitation; he did not even ask the old lady for her approval, but carried on with his work.

After a few minutes, the leg was fixed, and the stall stands perfectly. As Ichigo brushed the sweat flowing through his forehead with his arm while heading towards his bag, the old lady thanked him for his hard work. Along with ten copper coins which were promised ahead of time, she offered him three apples, just as how she would give Masaki, Ichigo's mother, four apples every time she visited before. But Ichigo accepted them without any gesture of gratitude. The old lady, worried for Ichigo had emotionless eyes the whole time, without even making any eye contact, imparted "Be careful now, dear. I'm sure sweet Yuzu is will be jumping in joy to see you coming home."

"I'm leaving." muttered Ichigo in a low but audible voice.

As he walked out of the shop and closed the door with a creaking sound, he progressed through the still active streets of the town, heading home which was only three blocks away. Various sounds and voices were still heard, the high pitched giggles and shouts of the children playing tag, the loud laughs of drunk men, the loud strikes of the blacksmith's hammer, and even the gallops of horses pulling carriages of the upper class.

Despite the joyous atmosphere that surrounded him, his head was bowed down with his eyes staring on the path he was walking on. His senses were blocked from tasting the pleasure of the moment, and the pleasure of a day's hard work. His mind was full of thoughts; he was evidently troubled at the very least.

At last, he was home, and the sun was at the horizon. Merely a few feet away from home, he paused for a while, gazing upon the family's small abode. Tiny birds flew away from the brittle wooden roof. A few in the walls were inadequately patched up with wooden planks. Two windows were covered with blinds from the inside. Yellow lights were coming out of the spaces between the blinds, and unpatched holes.

His eyes had a sad look with pity. Suddenly, the door creaked as it opened. To his surprise, a little voice calling out his name was approaching.

"Ichigo! Ichigo! Ichigo!" cried his little nine-year-old sister Yuzu. She ran towards Ichigo and came into him with a hug. "Mister, you are late. You got some explaining to do." yelled Yuzu, as she let go, scolding him playfully like a mature woman, with her arms crossed.

"I am sorry, little Ma'am. I'll tell you everything I know." answered Ichigo, with a big smile on his face. He was glad that her little sister was still with him. To him, she was the only one that gives him happiness, since their mother died of a gunshot accident five months ago, only days after his seventeenth birthday. His father, on the other hand, retired from work because of his old age, and his lung and heart conditions due to his firm habit of smoking. "Now, let's get inside."

It was an ordinary day, there was nothing really special. What he faced as he got inside did not surprise him, nor made him at least happy. The house was only divided in three, the main room, serving as their kitchen, dining room, and living room, the bathroom, and the bedroom, which was big enough only for two persons, Yuzu and Isshin, their father. The main room was lit with candles at every corner of the room. Their furniture was enough only for their necessities, unlike before their mother died, when they had plenty, even decorations – vases, frames, and plants. But they had to sell all those just to pay for their food, monthly dues, and taxes.

Isshin, as what Ichigo calls his father, had fallen asleep on his wooden rocking chair, waiting for his son. Ichigo did not bother waking him up, he instead proceeded to settle down, and get ready for dinner. Ichigo was mad with his father ever since he retired after their mother passed away. Isshin had been unable to handle strenuous jobs, and had been lying down or sitting in his rocking chair, unable to provide a living for the family. Ichigo has been the breadwinner, and had been given high expectations by his old father.

As Ichigo served the food in each plate, Yuzu reached for Isshin's cane. She woke him up with her bubbly voice, and guided him to the dining table. But Ichigo still did not acknowledge him. The family had started dinner, each only eating a small chicken part and a piece of potato.

"So, Ichigo, did Uruhara treat you well? How was he, by the way?" asked Isshin with a husky voice.

"Yeah. He was fine." said Ichigo with apathy, looking down on his food. Isshin was aware of his son's anger towards him. He cannot do anything about it, for he felt that he deserved it. The dinner was somewhat awkward, as always. Yuzu was the only one who kept it alive.

"You two are too serious! Give me your potatoes; I'll mash them for you. It is so much more delicious that way!" yelled Yuzu, reaching for Isshin's and Ichigo's plates.

"Oh, by the way, Yuzu, here's an apple for you. It's a gift from Mrs. Bronze, just like always." added Ichigo, as he reached out one apple from his bag. Yuzu was joyous to be able to eat her favorite food, but she was curious why there was only one.

After dinner, washing the plates and utensils and wiping the dining table, the three already started to prepare to hit the hay. This had been the family practice even before their mother passed away. Yuzu went straight to the bedroom and had easily fallen asleep, while Ichigo brushed his teeth.

Isshin, on the other hand, was left in the living room, putting out the candle lights. What he did not notice was that the ember of one of the candle was still live. The tired old man unwarily hit the candle lightly but enough to tilt and touch the nearby window blinds.

"Good night, son." mouthed Isshin, as Ichigo went out of the bathroom and gone passed him. He paused for a while staring at him as he walk away and muttered, "Thank you, son."

"Night, Isshin." replied Ichigo with an apathetic tone. Anguish could be seen in Isshin's watery eyes as he opened the bedroom's door gently as to not awaken his sleeping daughter.

Some time when the family had already fallen asleep, Ichigo started to have a dream.

He saw the whole family, including his mother, having a wonderful moment while having a picnic, sitting in the lush green grass of the field and feeling the soothing fresh air brushing through their cheeks. But suddenly, all colors faded away, only black, grey and white had remained. The lush green grass turned into ashes, and the fresh air had turned into heat; the scene had paused and turned into a photograph. Then, fire started and burned the photograph, as he hears a voice crying out his name. "Ichigo! Ichigo! Ichigo! Wake up!"

As he woke up and came to be, the house was already in fire. Yuzu was supporting Isshin in walking towards the exit while screaming for help and calling his name. He wasted no second and ran towards them, grabbing his bag on his way out. The three was able to exit the house immediately and safely.

"Yuzu! Are you hurt? Are you okay?" Ichigo hugged her sister, as he was searching for bruises or burns on the crying child's body. "Run to Papa Isshin, I'll call for help." He immediately ran to their neighbors and cried for help.

Meanwhile, Isshin was stunned. With his eyes opened wide and his mouth and hands shaking, he stared at his house burn down like a tower of cards collapsing to the table's surface, all hard work going in vain. Everything he heard would pass from one ear to the other, like when Yuzu kept on repeating, "Papa, I left my piggy bank! Papa! My piggy bank!"

Suddenly, Yuzu ran back to the burning house, believing that she could still salvage the money she saved for paying their taxes.

"Y-Yuzu! Yuzu! No! Yuzu! G-get back here!" screamed Isshin as he grasped the situation. The old man could not do anything; weak as he was, he could not help but to weep and shed the tears of his hopelessness.

As Ichigo heard his screams, he instantly turned around, charged towards the burning house to get Yuzu back. But it was already too late for them. The worst they feared had happened. He lost control of himself. He cowered and wept in fear, anger and misery. His mind was in complete disorder. He was dumbfounded and could only call out her little sister's name. "Y-Yuzu! Yuzu! Yu-Yuh..Yuzu… Yuzu!"

Their neighbors did the best they could to put down the raging flames, running back and forth, carrying pales of water and sand. Everyone went hand in hand to save their neighbors' home. At the very least, they were able to prevent the fire from spreading. But apart from that, nothing was left for Ichigo and Isshin.

Their goodhearted neighbors let them in for a while in their own abode. An extra room was provided, and food, water, and everything they needed. The two apples inside Ichigo's bag were even kept cold for it not to spoil, out of generosity. But for them, it was just not enough. Someone was missing. Yuzu was missing.

Ichigo had had it. He finally lost it all. Nothing was already left for him. With raging eyes, he faced his father for the first time. "This is all your fault, you good-for-nothing old man! I had already disowned you since Mama passed away! Ever since, you only had one job to do, and that is to protect Yuzu! You had only one job, and you failed! You had already taken everything from me!"

"I am leaving!" Ichigo banged the door, startling the owners, and ran to the streets. He needed to be alone, bursting out the tears that had built up inside him all this time.

Isshin was left in the room, sitting on the bed and weeping every tear he had left. Because he was weak, he could not provide for nor protect his family. He blamed himself. He believed that everything what Ichigo told him was right. He does not deserve to be living instead of his daughter. "I am so sorry Masaki, Yuzu… I am so sorry… Ichigo…"

Because of his shame, he just wanted to sleep and never wake up; but he did not.

After a few days, Yuzu's corpse was buried beside her mother's tombstone. It was beside a mango tree that Isshin and Masaki had planted as lovers. After the small gathering with friends and neighbors, Isshin and Ichigo were left. They still had not talked about the Ichigo did a few days ago.

Silence had taken control of the atmosphere for the next few minutes. Isshin lit up a cigarette, and began smoking. He sipped and let out the smoke and, finally, Isshin glanced at Ichigo, who was staring at the tombstones with his dried up eyes, and spoke, "Ichigo, I'm sorry."

Moments afterwards, Ichigo stood up as if he did not want to hear what Isshin would say next. Isshin's eyes followed Ichigo with desolation. "I…" replied Ichigo with a low tone, as he was immediately interrupted by Isshin.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" Isshin took back his stare, as a tear felon his lap, and he took another sip on his cigarette.

Ichigo turned away, and walked slowly through the field with his head bowed down. He took tiny paces, as if he hesitated to go away. After taking a few steps, he raised his head up high, and made a final sniffle; he had made up his mind. "No, I am not leaving this time… Dad."

Surprised of what he just heard, Isshin turned his head towards Ichigo with his watery eyes wide open.

"I am not leaving you. You are the only one I have left." added Ichigo as he walked back towards his father. Ichigo grabbed for his bag beside the tree, and reached for two apples. He gave the other apple to Isshin, saying, "And I will not let anyone leave me, too, again."


End file.
